Imagine a baseball team who has to make do with what they’ve got behind the plate. It’s normally three catchers in the roster, right? Could you imagine a franchise having to deal eight catchers after just half a season is gone? Wouldn’t it be mad?

Indeed it would. Although the problem here is affecting an Evo Stik Premier Division side in England (level 7-8 tier of the soccer system), the Workington Reds. Twenty minutes into his debut, loan signing Daniel Nizic (propriety of Championship side Burnley) was sent off against Gainsborough last weekend. And considering the lack of options between the sticks, Workington will have to get an eighth goalkeeper to field against Oxford City.

The only option was hoping that Sunderland would not progress in the Capital One Cup final against Manchester United on Wednesday so that Workington could ask the Black Cats their keeper Joel Dixon back on loan. But Sunderland unbelievably progressed after a great display from their Italian keeper Vito Mannone in one of the most breath-taking penalty shoot-outs ever (below). Boss Ian McDonald will now have to dig once again into the transfer market. He was incredulous. So are we.